Iberia opts for a ‘handling’ company 100% owned by IAG capital
Iberia has proposed to the unions the creation of a ground services (‘handling’) company fully owned by IAG – the holding company to which it belongs. This move ensures that all workers will maintain their current company agreements, as informed by the airline.
This decision follows the strike during the weekend of the Epiphany and after negotiations throughout the past week with UGT and CCOO. These unions advocate for the ‘handling’ workers to remain under Iberia’s wing, despite the company having lost the management of these services in eight of the country’s main airports (all the major ones except Barajas) in a tender resolved by Aena in September.
Iberia Airport Services, the company operating the ‘handling’, has about 8,000 employees. This result meant transferring the workers to the winning companies of the ‘handling’ tenders at each airport Iberia lost (Bilbao, Málaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Barcelona, Las Palmas, and Tenerife Sur). However, the unions intend for the staff to continue with Iberia.
According to the airline’s information, with the creation of this company, 100% owned by International Airlines Group (IAG) – which, besides Iberia, includes British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and Level – all the rights of its workers are guaranteed, as all employees would maintain their current company agreements.
At the same time, a viability plan for this new company includes measures for the disengagement of 1,727 people by December 31, 2026, through early retirements and incentivized layoffs.
Iberia Airport Services (the company operating the ‘handling’) has about 8,000 workers.
